Transportable apparatus for decorticating fibrous plants.



B. A. J. DUGHEMIN. TBANSPOBTABLE APPARATUS FOR DEOORTIOATING FIBROUS PLANTS.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB-19, 1907.

- ,zPatented 25, 1909,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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E. A. J. DUGH'EMIN; TRANSPORTABLE APIARATUS FOR DEGORTIGATING FIIBROUS PLANTS. APPLICATION FILED MlB.19, 1907.

922,865. Patented May 25, 1909.

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B. A. J. DUGHEMIN.

TBANSPORTABLE APPARATUS FOR DE GORTIGATING FIBROUS PLANTS. APPLICATION H LBD MAR.19, 1907.

922,865, Patented May 25, 1909.

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" APPLICATION FILE-D MAR. 19, 1901.

922,865. Patented May 25, 1909.

rnz'fiokms PETER: ca, wnsumaran n c EUGENE ADRIEN JOSEPH DUCHEMIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

TRANSPORTABLE APPARATUS FOR DECOBTICATKIIG FIBRO'CS PLANTS.

Application filed Ivlarch 19,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

1907. Serial No. 368,293.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE ADRIEN t J osEri-r DUCHEMIN, of 35 Avenue de Breteuil, in the city of Paris, Republic of France, agriculturist, have invented a Transportable Machine for Decorticating Fibrous Plants, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a transportable apparatus for decorticating fibrous plants, and the object thereof is to provide an apparatus which may be easily transported from place to place.

As is well known, fibrous plants, such as bananas, aloes and the like, grow in locations where transportation facilities are limited, so that it is almost impossible to carry heavy apparatus to the place where said plants grow, and my object is to provide a simple machine which may be carried about with the least possible difficulty.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and par ticularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view of the apparatus with the blades apart, Fig. 2 is a plan view, Fig. 3 is a side View from the left, Fig. 4 is a side view from the right, Fig. 5 is a front view with the knives together, Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 shows the apparatus with the knives closed and seen from the side opposite to Fig. 5, Fig. 8 is a side View from the right of Fig. 7, and Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged detail views showing the segment in different positions.

As shown in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a plate a which is adapted to be introduced into a slot cut in. the trunk of a tree, and secured by means of a clip or band of any kind which engages in perforations 1). Above this plate are two brackets 0 connect ed together at the middle by means of a cross bar d which is provided with a removable blade 65 and which forms a fixed jaw of the apparatus. The movable jaw c is provided with a detachable blade 6 and is connected with the rod f which acts as a pivot therefor, said rod being mounted in two lugs g, h. A coil spring i surrounding the rod f and secured at one end to the movable j aw (see Fig. 4) and at the other end to the lug it tends to hold said movable jaw in a raised osition, and also tends to keep said jaw in a inement 1 with the stationary aw, for, as the jaw is swung out of alinement the spring is put un-' der tension, and this tends to return the jaw to normal position. The outward movement of the movable jaw is obtained by means of a joint lever or elbow provided with a counterweight j secured thereto by means of a thumb screw j said lever being j ournaled in two lugs 7r on the frame of the apparatus. T he horizontal part of the lever j carries on each side of the frame a toothed sector Z which mesh with toothed sectors m, said sectors at being pivoted at 0 to the frame. @ne of the sectors m comprises a heel m acting upon a linger f integral with the rod f which is connected with the movable jaw by the spring i. in order to obtain the lowering of the movable jaw 6 upon the 'liXed jaw 1, one of the sectors m is provided with. a tappet m abutting against the movable jaw after its automatic return under the action of the spring i. The counterweight j regulates the pressure of the upper jaw upon the stalk which is being decorticated. An apron a suitably secured to the frame serves to support the stalks which are being operated upon.

When the lever is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 the movable jaw e is swung out of alinement with the stationary jaw, and the finger f and sector m occupy the position shown in Fig. 10; but when the parts are in operative position, said finger and sector occupy the position shown in Fig. 9. To swing the movable jaw outwardly, the sector m is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 9. When the lever is moved to throw the parts out of operative position, the heel m of the sector m moves the finger f which causes the rodf to rotate, and thus through the spring i the jaw c swings outwardly, and at the same time said spring i forces said jaw e upwardly, as the tappet m is disengaged from said jaw by the movement of the parts engaged by said lever. When the lever is moved in the reverse direction, the jaw e is first swung into alinement with the stationary jaw, and then the tappet m comes into engagement with said jaw e and forces it downwardly.

In using the device, the jaw e is swung out of alinement with the stationary jaw, and the stalks placed in position with one end projecting beyond. the jaw d. The jaw e is then swung inwardly and then downwardly to grip the stalk between itself and the jaw d, after which the stalk is pulled through the knives b b.

It will be seen that by having the jaw 6 capable of swinging out of alinement with the stationary jaw, the placing of the stalks in position is greatly facilitated; for as shown in Fig. 1, the said stalks may be simply dropped into the space formed by the uprights 0, c, and the stationary jaw d. If such jaw e was only permitted vertical movement the stalk would have to be poked through the opening between the two jaws when said jaw e was in its raised position.

Claims:

1. A machine for decorticating fibrous plants comprising a frame, a stationary jaw, a aw having one end pivoted to the frame so as to be swung out of alinement with the stationary jaw, said jaw having vertical movement on its pivot, and. means for operating the said jaw.

2. A machine for decorticating fibrous plants, comprising a frame, a stationary jaw, a movable jaw having one end hinged to the frame so as to be moved out of alinement with the stationary jaw, said movable jaw having vertical movement on its pivot, a spring for holding the movable aw. in raised position and in alinement with the stationary jaw, and means for overcoming said spring to depress the jaw and to move the same out of alinement with the stationary jaw.

8. A machine for decorticating fibrous lants com risin aframe astationar 'aw a movable jaw having one end hinged to the frame so as to be moved out of alinement with the stationary jaw, said movable jaw having vertical movement on its pivot, a spring for holding the movable jaw in raised position and in alinement with the stationary jaw, and means for overcoming said spring to depress the jaw and to move the same out of alinement with the stationary jaw, said means comprising a rod connected to thejaw and having a finger, a sector having a heel engaging with the finger, and a lever for actuating the sector.

4. A machine for decorticating fibrous plants, comprising a stationary jaw, a jaW hinged at one end and having vertical movement, a spring for normally holding the jaw in alinement with the stationary jaw and in raised position, means for depressing the jaw when the same is in alinement with the stationary aw and for moving the same out of alinement with the stationary aw when raised, said means including a lever and a weight adjustably mounted on said lever.

The foregoing specification of my transportable apparatus for decorticating fibrous plants signed by me this 26th day of January 1907.

EUGENE ADR-IEN JOSEPH DUCHEMIN.

Witnesses HANSON 0. 00x12, MAURICE H. PIGNET. 

